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WAC WOMEN'S SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK ANNOUNCED
Seattle U's Karli White and UMKC's Niekie Pellens have been named Western Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, for the week of Oct. 10-16.
White, a sophomore from North Bend, Wash. (Mount Si HS), led Seattle U to a huge 2-0 WAC road swing, leading the team with 10 total shots, including five on goal, while putting two of those into the back of the net for four points. The sophomore striker had five shots, including two on frame as the Redhawks outshot NM State 17-4 on their way to a 2-1 victory. At UTRGV, White tallied both SU goals - one at the eight-minute mark and the other just inside 30 minutes - as the Redhawks completed the weekend with a 2-0 shutout of the Vaqueros. The goals were her second and third of the season, giving her three goals and two assists for eight points. Seattle U has now won five straight and is a perfect 4-0-0 in WAC play, sitting alone atop the league standings with 12 points.
Pellens, a senior defender from Naarden, Netherlands (Wisconsin-Parkside), was a vital cog in the UMKC defensive machine that posted two shutouts over the weekend. Pellens played all 110 minutes of UMKC's 0-0 draw with Grand Canyon on Friday night, helping the UMKC defense hold the Lopes to just eight total shots and just two on goal. Pellens also registered two shots of her own, including one on goal. In UMKC's 3-0 victory over CSU Bakersfield on Sunday, Pellens again played every minute of the match. As part of the back line that held the ‘Runners to nine shots and just three on goal, Pellens was a major contributor offensively as well. Pellens took all seven of UMKC's corner kicks, assisting on two goals. Pellens connected with the feet of freshman Abby Small for the game's opening goal in the 37th minute, an easy six-yard tap in for the freshman thanks to a perfect pass. Pellens helped junior Lilly Cobb pick up her second goal of the game in the 53rd minute, again with a perfectly placed corner kick. With the four points on the weekend the Roos moved in to the second spot in the WAC standings.
Other offensive nominees included: CSU Bakersfield sophomore forward Aminah Settles scored twice in Friday's victory over Chicago State… Grand Canyon junior forward Milla Benedetti scored twice for the Lopes in a victory over Chicago State on Sunday … UMKC junior midfielder/forward Lilly Cobb scored twice in the ‘Runners' victory over CSUB …. NM State junior midfielder Holly Abdelkader scored both goals for the Aggies as they earned a comeback tie against Utah Valley on Sunday … Utah Valley sophomore forward Breanna McCarter scored an overtime game-winning goal vs. UTRGV on Friday and added two assists on the weekend for the Wolverines.
Other defensive nominees included: Grand Canyon junior defender Kelsey Smith scored a goal and added an assist while playing a key role in the GCU backline that shutout both UMKC and Chicago State on the weekend … Seattle U sophomore defender Hannah Carrothers had two assists and was a key member of the SU backline that defeated NM State and shutout UTRGV on Sunday … Utah Valley senior defender Kalli Suesue anchored the Wolverine defense to a 1-0 overtime road shutout at UTRGV on Friday.
THE NO. 1 SPOT
With a four-point lead in the WAC standings over second-place UMKC, SU is in the driver's seat to clinch the WAC regular season title with three matches remaining. The Redhawks could clinch as soon as Friday, with a win over UMKC on Thursday and a Grand Canyon loss to NM State. The Redhawks will be able to clinch at least a share of the title on Saturday if they manage to earn four points during the weekend's two matches.
KEEP IT TIGHT
The theme of WAC play this year has been nailbiters, as 11 of the 16 matches this year have been decided by one goal or less. Seven of those matches have gone to overtime. Chicago State is the only team in the conference not to play any extra soccer through its first four matches, while UMKC has gone to extra time in every match but one.
NOT SO SUDDEN DEATH
UMKC refuses to lose in extra time, as the Roos have either won or tied 20-straight matches that went to overtime. UMKC extended the streak with a 0-0 tie vs. Grand Canyon on Oct. 14. The last time UMKC lost in overtime was a 2-1 defeat at Missouri State on Sept. 16, 2011.
BRACES
On the weekend, six different WAC players scored two goals in a match, but no WAC players scored in two different matches. Five players managed to turn in multiple goals on Sunday, but only one, CSUB's Aminah Settles, did so on Friday.
Players earning braces on the weekend were:
Holly Abdelkader, NM State vs. Utah Valley (Oct. 16)
Milla Benedetti, Grand Canyon vs. Chicago State (Oct. 16)
Lilly Cobb, UMKC vs. CSU Bakersfield (Oct. 16)
Anyssa DeVera, Grand Canyon vs. Chicago State (Oct. 16)
Aminah Settles, CSU Bakersfield vs. Chicago State (Oct. 14)
Karli White, SU vs. UTRGV (Oct. 16)
SEATTLE U, UTAH VALLEY RANKED IN NSCAA WEST REGION
Seattle U and Utah Valley both remained in the top 10 of the NSCAA West Region rankings this week. SU remained at No. 8 on the strength of a 4-0 start in WAC play. The Wolverines remained at No. 10 for the third-straight week and have been in the top 10 all but two weeks this season.
BONNEY CAN'T STOP SCORING, BREAKING RECORDS
UTRGV's Sarah Bonney racked up six points against Chicago State on Oct. 9, the second-highest single-match output in program history, with two goals and two assists. Bonney now has 24 points and 10 goals this season, breaking UTRGV's single-season NCAA DI program records of 22 points and nine goals accomplished by Andreya Barrera in 2014. Bonney also has four assists, tied for the team lead and the single-season UTRGV Division I program record.
GETTING OFFENSIVE
UTRGV continues to lead the NCAA in shots on goal per game (9.73) and is fourth in the nation in shots per game (19.87).
COMING TO YOU LIVE
The WAC Digital Network will broadcast 27 regular season matches and all five matches of the 2016 WAC Women's Soccer Tournament in Kansas City, Mo.
There will be six women's soccer matches on the WDN this weekend. The highlight will be a battle between the top two teams in the WAC standings, Seattle U and UMKC, on Thursday night:
October 20 (Thursday)
*Chicago State at Utah Valley, 5:30 p.m. MT
*UMKC at Seattle U, 7 p.m. PT
October 22 (Saturday)
*UMKC at Utah Valley, 7 p.m. PT
*Chicago State at Seattle U, 7 p.m. PT
October 23 (Sunday)
*NM State at CSU Bakersfield, 1 p.m. CT
*UTRGV at Grand Canyon, 1 p.m. PT
Tune in to catch the matches live at www.WACSports.com/live.
2016 WAC TOURNAMENT
The WAC Women's Soccer Tournament will be held in Kansas City, Mo., Nov. 3-4 and 6, hosted by UMKC. The top six eligible teams will participate (Grand Canyon is ineligible due to its transition from Division II to Division I).
2016 NCAA COLLEGE CUP
The 35th Annual Women's College Cup will be held Dec. 2 and 4 at Avaya Stadium in San Jose, Calif. The First Round matches will take place November 11, 12 or 13.
Last year's WAC champs, the Utah Valley, came up just short in its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. The Wolverines lost a hard-fought 1-0 decision to 13th-ranked BYU on Nov. 14 in front of 3,663 fans at South Field.
The loss wrapped up a record-setting and historic season for Utah Valley (14-7-1), which won a school-record 14 matches and won its first-ever WAC Tournament championship.